Northern regions brace for impact of extreme cold spell this weekend

According to the National Centre for Hydrometeorology Forecasting, the influence of the cold weather has caused temperatures to plummet as rain hits northern and north-central regions on December 19.

This marks the first period of extreme cold to hit the north since the start of the winter, with the lowest temperatures being recorded at around 11 degrees Celsius, with frost in some mountainous areas causing temperatures to fall to below five degrees Celsius.

Most notably, the peak of Mau Son mountain in Lang Son province recorded the lowest temperatures at one degree Celsius.

In Hanoi, temperatures are ranging from 11 to 13 degrees Celsius.

The intense cold spell will also mark the start of a period of rain to hit northern central regions from Thanh Hoa to Thua Thien-Hue provinces from the night of December 19.

Due to the drop in temperature, northern localities have been urged to take proactive measures in response to the chilly weather, thereby ensuring the safety of elderly people and children whilst also reducing the damage done to agricultural production in mountainous areas.

Furthermore, a tropical depression is in the process of moving into the East Sea and is likely to intensify into a storm.

The Central Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Response and the National Committee for Incident and Disaster Response and Search and Rescue issued a joint telegraph on December 19 urging localities from Da Nang city to Ca Mau province to closely monitor developments of the tropical depression. This should be done as a means of notifying vessels in order to ensure they have plenty of time to respond to the weather event.